Wire fabric device



Marchsl, 1942. v f N. s. HARTER 2,27 ,104

WIRE FABRIC DEVICE Original Filed 001;. 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 31, 1942. N."S. HARTER WIRE FABRIC DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 13, 1938 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 m u m a m n a u H "m m n L a ll 2 n u 4i m M Q UME [mew/for: & /V0,4H 5. HQETEE,

Patented Mar. 31, 1942 WIRE FABRIC DEVICE Noah S. Harter, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Original application October 13, 1938, Serial No.

234,853. Divided and this application November 22, 1940, Serial No. 366,759

1 Claim.

by virtue of the shearing action between the reed and stationary weft guide, is not necessary. However, with this one exception, the two units are identical; it being understood, of course, that the elements of the left-hand unit are turned around to function in the opposite direction from invention appertains is of the kind properly characterized as a 100m in which warp wires and weft wires are advanced into interwoven association, and the latter are then trimmed, formed,

and welded, into the proper selvage configuration. The present invention is primarily concerned with the welding instrumentalities participating in this selvage operation.

Since the general organization of my improved loom, together with its mode of operation, is

completely set forth in the above identified parent application, no complete description thereof and welding weft wires to form the selvage on the fabric being acted upon.

Figure 2 shows a side elevational view of the unit shown in Figure 1. a

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line IIIIII in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a viewtaken along line IV--IV in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a schematic plan view showing a fragmentary portion of the finished fabric, and the various steps comprising its process of manufacture, including its formation and subsequent evolvement.

Referring now to the detail views of Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, there is pictured the unit for completing the selvage of the fabric that is disposed j at the right-hand side of the machine. This unit has been adopted for descriptive purposes since it is typical of the construction of both units, but has, in addition, a cutter for trimming the weft picket ends, which, on the left-hand unit,

those of the right-hand unit, illustrated in these figures.

Referring to Figure 5, it will be seen that the weft wires P leave the beater frame trimmed evenly on the left-hand side of the fabric, which is at the top of Figure 5, and somewhat raggedy at the right-hand side of the fabric, having been slightly overfed by pinch rolls (not shown) to insure that a sufficient amount is provided to form the selvage. The web is advanced between electrodes 88, two of which are respectively mounted over each of the outermost Warp wires or selvage wires ateach side of the fabric, and the other two of which are disposed in corresponding positions beneath the web. Thus is constituted the electrode jaws, the right-hand set of which appears in Figures 2 and 3, which are arrangedfor intermittent closing and opening motion in the vertical plane of the outermost warp wire.

In this connection it will be noted that the outermost warp wire lays on top of all weft wires rather than being interwoven therein, as is the case of the intermediate wires. This is to make bothselvages uniform and to provide a continuous shoulder, equal in height to the diameter of the constituent wires, against which the exposed end portions of the weft pickets can be disposed after formation, so that no sharp ends will be left exposed. It will be apparent that the selvage warp wires are arranged wholly on one side of the fabric, in the manner described, by simply by-passing them through the heddles, whereby they are not deflected from their horizontal plane of feed, as is required to effect intere weaving.

After the warp selvages. have been welded so as to tack the opposite marginal portions of the web together, and to anchor the intermediate wires intoplace, the web is then passed on to the forming devices. First, however, it' is necessary for the weft picket ends at the right-hand side of the fabric to be cut off evenly so as to correspond to their opposite ends at the lefthand side of the fabric. It has already been indicated that this is only necessary at the right hand side of the machine, and is effected by a shear 89, as is schematically represented in Figure 5.

The web then passes by the first forming tools 90 whereby each end of each picket wire is simultaneously crimped, as shown in Figure 5. Thereafter, crimped weft pickets are bent into final position, as at BI, as is also shown in Figure 5, after which they are finally welded as at 92, and passed on to the take-up. The instrmnentalities for thus treating the selvages of the fabric will now be described in greater detail, reference being first made to Figures 1 and 2.

The first instrumentality, in the order in which the web is presented, is the warp selvage welder 88 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, as comprising a mounting 98 with four bearings 99 in which a pair of shafts IIlfl-IIII are mounted so as to extend transversely of the machine. The shafts are spaced an equal distance above and below, respectively, the plane of the fabric to which they are substantially parallel. Since the prccise thickness of the material to be Welded. which must pass between the electrodes 88, is indeterminable in advance, and may vary somewhat through any operating period, it is necessary for the positive cam action by which these electrodes are operated, to be applied in such a manner as to compensate for these variables.

To this end, adjacent to the outer extremity of each of the shafts is a free running collar I 52, within which the shaft may rotate, and to which may be imparted rotary or oscillatory motion independently of the shaft. Immediately adjacent the free running collar on each shaft is another collar I03 which is keyed to the latter so as to have no motion independently thereof. The free running collar is provided with a hori zontally-extending radial lug IM on the end of which is provided a roller I95 for engagement with an actuating cam I65 carried on the cam shaft 95. The keyed collar IIl3 on each shaft is provided with a spring bearing extension m, a portion of which overlies the free running collar I82. The near face of the radial lug I84 on the free running collar is arranged in substantial parallelism with the spring bearing extension ID! of the keyed collar, with which it aligns circumferentiallyof the shaft IOU-Nil. Between these parallel portions of the adjacent collars is disposed a compression spring I08 which transmits the motion of the cam I96 from the free running collar I02 to the keyed collar I03, and I hence to the shaft IUD-4M on which the latter is secured. From the foregoing it will be seen that should anything prevent the shafts from rotating to the extent required by the cam, as would be the case if an unusually large wire or obstruction on the wire came between the electrodes 82, the compression spring I08 would in sure the movement of the shaft to close the electrodes as far as possible, but would thereafter yield to provide lost-motion, and thus to compensate for the shafts inability to rotate the full amount.

Each of the shafts is provided at its inner end with another non-rotative collar I99 to which a tangential extension I I is rigidly affixed. The outer end of each tangential extension is provided with a contactor element I II of the electrode, both of which are arranged in vertical alignment relative to each other. As the web advances, successive intersections between the warp selvage and picket wires are disposed between the electrodes, which are then moved by the cam mechanism, described above, into engagement with the wires at each side of the intersection thereof, to eifect the weld. The weldazrsuoa ing circuit (not shown) is completed through the intersection of the wires by one side of the circuit being introduced through one of the electrodes, and by the other side of the circuit being introduced through the other electrode. The electrodes are preferably energized directly through the tangential extension and associated parts, which are usually formed of conductive metal, from which other parts of the machine are electrically isolated by insulative washers and bushings of any suitable form.

During the welding operation, the portions of the wires through which the current passes become red-hot, in which condition the ends of the picket Wires are frequently subject to bending under their own weight. In order to preclude this happening, the tangential extension III! of each electrode has secured to it on a face opposite to that of the cont actor element III, so as to extend parallel to the latter, a support guide II2 which is adapted to give the picket ends the requisite support during the application of the Welding current in order to obviate the wilting" of the latter. Since these support guides are usually of metal, care should be taken to provide for their being suitably insulated from the tangential extensions upon which they are respectively carried, as is shown in Figure 1.

To insure that the electrodes return to open position after a weld has been effected, a small spring H3 is provided to lift the upper electrode, as is shown in Figure 2, and a similar spring may be provided to control the lower electrode, although none has been illustrated because it has been found that this electrode will return by gravity during a recession of the cam I98.

After the warp selvages have been welded, as last described, the web advances to a shearing mechanism 89 which acts to trim, evenly, the ends of the weft pickets extending from the right-hand side of the web (see 89, Figure 5).

The web then proceeds to the crimping and bending tools shown at and 9| in Figure 5. As will be understood from the complete description thereof contained in my parent application, these comprise a unitary compound tool which works simultaneously upon adjacent pickets to form the selvage.

After the picket wires have been formed into the selvage configuration in the manner shown in Figure 5, the fabric passes on to the final welders 92, the right-hand one of which is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. By this mechanism the crimp of one Wire is welded to the bend of an adjacent wire to complete the fabric.

With reference to the enlarged detail view of Figure 4, it will be seen that each of these welders comprises a base I 5I adapted for mounting on the dove-tail bearing EM, referred to hereinbefore, on which base is mounted a pair of upstanding pivot bearings I52, in which a pair of scissorslike rocker beams I53-I54 is pivoted by means of a pin I55 that is secure-:1 in the bearings I52 in any suitable manner. To the inner extremity of each beam is secured an electrode mountin I56 in which an electrode I5'I is adapted to be held for axial adjustment by means of nuts I58. The nuts, with the aid of washers I59, support the electrode in. an enlarged opening I60 in the mounting I55, within which, by loosening the nuts. the electrode may be moved axially of the mounting to effect a refinement of adjustment in accurately locating the weld with relation to the parts to be welded. It will be apparent that longer or shorter electrode mountings I56 may replace the ones in use at any given time by removing the screws I61 and making the required substitution to provide for any change in the welding location, or to permit more than one joint to be welded transversely of the fabric.

The opposite extremity of the scissors-like beams l53l54 are provided with cam engaging rollers I62 through which movement of the cam I63 is transmitted to open and close the electrodes I51. to permit the passage and efiect the welding of the selvage edges of the fabric. Here again it becomes necessary to compensate for variations in the thickness of the material passing between the electrodes so that, when the latter are obstructed against closing the predetermined amount, the positive action of the cam is harmlessly dissipated through lost motion means.

To accomplish this, the upper rocker beam I53 is made in two parts, theinner end [53a of which supports the electrode, and the outer end I531) of which engages the cam; both parts being pivoted on the pin [55. Each of these parts adjacent the pin is provided with an upstanding extension IBM and I641), one of which (1641)) is longer than the other, and which is formed over and downwardly as at I65 to lie over and around the adjacent extension 164a, as is shown in Figure 4. Between the two extensions a compression spring IE6 is arranged, the expansive force of which may be varied by the set screw I61 and lock nut I68. By means of this spring, the cam action is yieldingly transmitted to the upper electrode. The overhanging portion I65 of the extension I64b is provided to insure that the upper electrode is returned to the open position simultaneously with the lower electrode during the recession of the cam, which opening is facilitated by means of another compression spring I69 disposed to draw the cam extremities of the scissors-like beams together.

As in the case of the first welders 88, described above, the welding current is applied to the final welders 92 through the elemental parts thereof which are made of conductive material. One

side of the circuit is supplied to the lower electrode, and the other side of the circuit is supplied to the other electrode. The two are isolated from each other and from contiguous parts of the machine by suitable insulatory bushings, washers, etc., in a manner well known in the electrical arts.

Many changes may be made in the structure and operating characteristics of the preferred inventive embodiments herein illustrated, which, though departing from the letter of this specification and drawings, will not depart from the spirit of the invention as apprehended in and by the following claim. It is intended, therefore, that the invention herein set forth be limited only by the claim construed in the light of this specification and drawings, and the prior art, and not be deemed limited to the specific embodiments here adopted as preferential for purposes of description.

I claim:

In a selvaging device: a welding tool comprising a pair of horizontally journaled, parallel shafts; a tangential extension carried by each shaft so that the terminal portions of each extension aligns in the vertical with the other thereof; a collar fixed to each shaft; a free-running collar disposed adjacent each fixed collar; a lug on each fixed collar extending into alignment with a lug on each free-running collar circumferentially of their respective shafts; a compression spring disposed between the lugs of adjacent collars on the same shaft, a stud projecting from each free-running collar carrying a roller, and a cam coacting with said rollers effective to rock said free-running collars, the assemblage being so coordinated that the motion imparted by the cam is transmitted through said springs to said fixed collars and thence to said shafts, whereby compensation is automatically made for variations in the thickness of material acted upon by the said extensions.

NOAH S. HARTER. 

